Daily Readings - Tue May 02 2017

First Reading - Acts 7.51 8.1a

Acts

Chapter 7

⁵¹Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you ever resist the Holy Spirit. Just as your fathers did, so also do you do

Chapter 8

¹Now in those days, there occurred a great persecution against the Church at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles

Gospel - John 6.30-35

³⁰And so they said to him: "Then what sign will you do, so that we may see it and believe in you? What will you work³¹Our fathers ate manna in the desert, just as it has been written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ³²Therefore, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven³³For the bread of God is he who descends from heaven and gives life to the world.³⁴And so they said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always.³⁵Then Jesus said to them: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected themes: the challenges of faith and the true nature of spiritual nourishment. The first reading from Acts describes a time of great turmoil for the early Church, where persecution leads to the dispersion of believers. This scattering, though it seems chaotic, becomes the catalyst for the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. The passage also reflects on the resistance to the Holy Spirit, a recurring theme in the history of God's people, highlighting the tension between faith and obstinacy. The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Bread of Life, a discourse that follows the feeding of the 5000. Here, Jesus shifts the focus from physical bread to spiritual nourishment, emphasizing that He is the true bread from heaven. The people's request for a sign is met with Jesus' profound revelation of His divine role, inviting them to move beyond physical satisfaction to a deeper, eternal fulfillment. These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God's presence in our lives. Like the early Christians, we may face challenges that test our faith, but these can also be opportunities for growth and spreading God's message. Jesus' identification as the Bread of Life reminds us to seek spiritual sustenance in Him, trusting in His providence even amidst life's uncertainties. Let us embrace the Holy Spirit's guidance and find our true fulfillment in Jesus, the Bread of Life.